Kū Kiaʻi Oʻahu!Urge the BLNR to reject the Army’s FEIS for Kahuku, Kawailoa-Poamoho, and Mākua
This Friday, June 27th at 9am the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) will convene for decision making regarding the acceptance or non-acceptance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Army Training Land Retention of 1,170 acres of "State" aka Stolen Hawaiian Kingdom Crown and Government Lands at Kahuku Training Area, 4,370 acres at Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, and 782 acres at Mākua Military Reservation.
The Army is seeking to retain 6,322 acres of stolen land on Oʻahu through a new long-term lease with the State of Hawaiʻi. It is critical that the BLNR reject the current Army FEIS.
Please submit written testimony by Thursday June 26th, and if you are able, provide oral testimony in person or at the BLNR hearing this Friday, June 27th at 9am to urge the BLNR to reject the Army’s EIS. Video testimony via zoom is also available.
What You Can Do to Protect these Wahi Pana?
To provide written testimony:
Submit written testimony via e-mail to blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov by Thursday June 26th, at 9am, below is sample testimony, please personalize as you see fit.
To provide in-person testimony:
Attend live at 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
Please arrive at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet.
To provide video testimony:
Send your request to blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be made during the meeting.
Sample Testimony:
Aloha Land Board Members:
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the U.S. Army’s proposed retention of leased lands at Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, and Mākua Military Reservation, and to urge the land board to reject the Army’s EIS.
These places are not just a piece of land—they are wahi pana, sacred and beloved places that hold the stories and legacy of Kānaka Maoli. They are sacred burial sites, endangered species habitats, and the birth stands of generational families. Decades of misuse to ʻāina occupied by the Army has proven that they are not capable of being the stewards of these significant wahi pana.
Additionally, the military training activities of this scale are simply not compatible with the intention of conservation, upholding cultural integrity, and aloha ‘āina. Enough is enough.
The FEIS is insufficient and should be rejected on several grounds:
Inadequate Environmental and Cultural Impact Analysis
Lack of a sufficient disclosure of Military activities on leased lands adjacent to federal lands
Restrictive cultural access policies hindering Kānaka Maoli cultural practices and access to numerous historical and sacred sites
The approval of the EIS ultimately conflicts with the BLNRʻs constitutional duty to mālama ʻāina
I urge the members of the land board to respect the land, the culture, and the people of Hawai‘i by rejecting the Army’s FEIS for Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area, and Mākua Military Reservation. It is time to release military hold on these lands, and allow their generational caretakers to begin the healing process.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Optional: Your Town or Island]
Mahalo for taking action!
